The modular village concept has been designed to “maximise individual happiness and wellbeing”, according to its developer.

The first of The Villages, development of which will begin next year, is due to complete in 2019.

Describing the concept on the opening day of Cityscape, Rashed Bu Qara’a, chief operating officer of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, said: “The concept itself is path-breaking and draws inspiration from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai, who calls on Dubai to become a city of happy, creative, and empowered people. In line with this directive, the mission of The Villages is to deliver life solutions in three key areas that influence human happiness: education, wellness, and time.”

Mohammed Al Awadhi, vice president of real estate at Dubai South, added: “Usually, the expansive layout of a city compels many of us to spend hours every day commuting to schools, workplaces, retail, and wellness centres. Not only does this increase stress, but the time could have been used in a more gainful way, elsewhere.”

Al Awadhi explained that The Villages will be laid out to bring “life’s key necessities” closer together. Each village will include buildings of up to G+8, with bedroom, studio, and loft apartments. The villages will also include villas and townhouses. These residential components will be wrapped around a “community core”, which will consist of a K-12 school, a civic centre, a health and wellness complex, a high street, and retail outlets.

“Bringing these essential features within convenient proximity will not only enable residents to save time, but also make them more inclined to walk and bicycle on dedicated pathways. This will reduce their reliance on cars, reduce pollution and noise, and enhance tranquillity in the neighbourhood,” Al Awadhi said.

Property sales for Dubai South’s The Villages are expected to commence in early-2016.